How to Tell Good Lawyers from Bad Lawyers

You might think that all lawyers must be good ones, or perhaps you have no idea how to tell a good one from a bad one. After all, they all have law degrees. If they have all managed to gain similar qualifications, you might think that they all must be on a level playing field in some way. But not all lawyers are good lawyers, and you want to avoid the bad ones as much as possible. There are a few things to look for in a good lawyer, as well as warning signs to spot in a bad lawyer. You want to be able to spot a bad lawyer as soon as possible before you hand over any money. To help you tell the difference between a good lawyer and a bad one, here are some of the signs to look out for.

A bad lawyer: seems secretive and difficult to research

One of the most important things about looking for a lawyer is being able to find out as much as you can about them. If you’re struggling to find out about a lawyer or their firm, it might be best to move on to researching someone else. A lawyer who is difficult to research might have little experience or even have something to hide.

A good lawyer is open and transparent

A better sign of a good lawyer is the ability to research their history, qualifications and business practices. A clear website is a good start, with information about the law they practice in plain language. You don’t want them to bamboozle you with legalese. Even better, you can find personal injury attorney reviews or reviews for whichever field of law you need. Third-party confirmation of their good work, through review sites or people you know, is very helpful.

A bad lawyer makes big, unsubstantiated promises

A bad lawyer might start to promise you big things before you ever get near a courtroom or mediation. They may promise you that they can win your case for you, and try to tell you that they can guarantee a certain amount of money. If a lawyer promises you big things and you can’t see any evidence to back up their claims, this is a warning sign that they might not be the lawyer for you.

A good lawyer is realistic but reassuring

A good lawyer might discuss likely outcomes of your case, but will never promise a guaranteed outcome. They can show you their case history and how similar cases they have dealt with have turned out. They will be realistic about the outcome of your case and will only let you know the possible outcome after gathering all the details.

A bad lawyer is hard to contact

One of the early warning signs of a bad lawyer is poor communication. If a lawyer fails to respond to phone calls, emails and the like, they will likely waste your time.

A good lawyer is punctual and communicative

A good lawyer, on the other hand, will respond to contact in a timely fashion. They will be polite, informative and helpful.